How much cheaper are groceries, etc. on an army base?
Posted by admin | Under Cheap Groceries Sunday Mar 14, 2010I know this is a kind of a vague question but my husband is enlisting soon and I’m just trying to make a budget. It’ll just be me and my son (he’ll be about a year old) for a few months while my dh is in basic & ait so we won’t be going through a TON of food. I’m just wondering how much we’ll probably spend a month eating mostly fruit, veggies & healthy stuff lol.
Also is it pretty much the same on every base, or is it different depending on where you are? Thanks!
Thanks everyone!
Everything you buy on post is tax-free, so you’re saving some money there. And if you live on-post, it’s probably the best idea. But I’m always looking for a good deal and sometimes I can find things cheaper off post.
The BEST thing about commissaries is the variety! I can find things in the commissary that I could never find off post. They have food from Germany and Mexico and Korea and Japan. My husband was stationed in Germany for 2 years and fell in love with their chocolate. Thankfully, the commissary has it all!
But like I said, everything on post is tax-free, that includes the PX (Post Exchange – kinda like a WalMart) and food courts. And gas is usually a little cheaper on post.
((P.S. The Marines have bases, the Army has posts.))
The Commissary (base grocery store) is CHEAP!!! It is amazing!
Not sure how much your grocery shopping will cost. But for me, shopping there saves a ton of money!!!! It varies base to base, just as it varies state to state at any grocery store.
The only real idea to get a budget for yourself is to go check it out. But, I am pretty confident in telling you that you will save a ton of money.
Oh, but keep an eye out. Things like milk might be cheaper elsewhere. Some things tend to be cheaper elsewhere, but thats usually not the case. For me its not worth the gas to bother going elsewhere for anything.
References :
Depending what you get you save 20 to 25 percent overall. You pay wholesale price for items plus a 4% surcharge which is to cover their overhead. Bags and salaries,etc. Plus you’re expected to tip the baggers because they’re not paid. You have the choice to bag your own stuff and carry it out yourself though.
You don’t pay sales tax on stuff either. Plus they take coupons, but don’t double them
Here’s their web site
http://www.commissaries.com/
References :
go http://www.commissaries.com for info on sale dates , etc. As a 100 % disabled vet I am authorized use of military commissaries and Px / Bx facilities. By watching for sales and using coupons , my wife and I find there is not much difference in prices in those facilities and off base stores. Perhaps for people in post housing they could realize a savings by not having to use as much gas as would be required to go off post. In any event , happy shopping……….
References :
Its not really cheaper than Kroger’s or Walmart
You don’t pay sales tax’s though, so that saves some money.
And usually the meat selection is better than you’ll find at Kroger’s or Walmart.
Things like TV diners are always cheaper off post than on post.
References :
Everything you buy on post is tax-free, so you’re saving some money there. And if you live on-post, it’s probably the best idea. But I’m always looking for a good deal and sometimes I can find things cheaper off post.
The BEST thing about commissaries is the variety! I can find things in the commissary that I could never find off post. They have food from Germany and Mexico and Korea and Japan. My husband was stationed in Germany for 2 years and fell in love with their chocolate. Thankfully, the commissary has it all!
But like I said, everything on post is tax-free, that includes the PX (Post Exchange – kinda like a WalMart) and food courts. And gas is usually a little cheaper on post.
((P.S. The Marines have bases, the Army has posts.))
References :
Army Wife